Bindings Broken
by JeannaDearie
Summary: When Belle has to give up her one true love, Rumpelstiltskin, and send him over the town line forever, her dreams are shattered. But what nobody knew was that the goblin king had fallen in love with the girl... Sorry for the cheesiness! Please rate & review. I'd love to hear comments, ideas, and suggestions. I'll take anything, as long as its constructive!
1. Chapter 1: As the world falls down

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm simply an obsessed fan girl with too much time on her hands. Also sometimes I like to make up words. Sorry.

Note from the Beta: She is also a Rumbelle fan that is upset with the writers at the lack of support for her ship... However that is a story for another time...

In the castle far beyond the goblin city, a fair-haired king sat sprawled across the arms of his throne. His riding crop tapped to the ticks of the clock, which he'd been watching all day. It was half past thirteen o' clock, and nothing of importance had occurred. The goblin king was uneasy. The mortal realm had been too quiet today. And so, in the absence of wishes, he gazed upon the rabble.

Short, fat, little goblins were littered across the stone floor; chasing chickens and getting drunk on goblin beer. One of the creatures had been partaking in both activities, and tripped over one of his fellows, causing a chain reaction mishap that ended in three kegs being knocked over. The goblin king watched in disamusement, rolling his eyes in silent response.

Oh, how he loved his subjects.

It was in that brief moment of silence, before the little boggarts started laughing, that he felt it.

It was peculiar for him to sense anything at all. He normally ignored the dreams of mortals, barring the more interesting ones, and this practice had evolved into a skill. But this feeling, like plauge, started as one little pang, then spread throughout his entire body. Its source seemed to be an unfamiliar, and almost untouchable, place. Nevertheless, it was a distinctive sensation, which he knew well.

A broken dream.

He'd never much cared for this specific ability - to sense, as well as reach out and touch others' dreams - however, he decided to humor himself.

"Quiet!" He ordered the room of cackling creatures. The effect was instant- no little goblin dared make a sound.

Holding out a single gloved hand, Jareth conjured a crystal. The view was smoky at first, and he concentrated to better tune into the mortal's emotions. After a few seconds, the crystal showed him what he was searching for.

Belle faced away from the town line, not allowing her eyes to drift to the man on the other side. It was too painful. And also too late.

Rumpelstiltskin cried out her name, and she wanted so badly to join him on the other side, but they were lost to each other now. They had to be. This wasn't how she wanted to remember him; the broken man begging for help, for forgiveness, for anything. Tears rolled down her own cheeks, but he couldn't see her any longer. She refrained from breaking down any further, she wanted to be brave. She couldn't stay there, lest his pleas weaken her resolve any more, so she walked. Part of her anticipated Emma or someone to drive out and check up on her, but no one came. For that at least, she was grateful. From the town line to the house she once shared with Rumpelstiltskin, she was alone in the dark; just as she had been for quite some time now.

With a wicked smile and a wolfish features, Jareth watched the girl. The entire pit of goblins sat in silence, for quite some time, as their king starred into his crystal. His knowing gaze never faltered for a second. As Belle walked home alone, she was being thoroughly scrutinized. Her hopes, dreams, wants, fears, and especially her pain - the Goblin King saw it all. She was beautiful, that was plain. However, he'd seen many lovely faces whilst peering into other realms, and he, of all men, was not so simple.

The Goblin King rarely sought to involve himself in the affairs of mortals, unless obligated by a wish. He had, on a few occasions, toyed with them for amusement, but never more than they deserved. He was fair, not cruel. This, however, was a rare opportunity. The Dark One's unrightfully granted power had often rivaled his own. The cowardly imp had too often made the mistake of meddling in affairs other than his own, stealing wishes, and, on occasion, even a child or two. Years ago, Jareth had watched in amusement as a dastardly curse spread across the foreign land. The fool had damned himself in an impossible quest, and for some time he went about his business in peace, unable to so much as locate the whereabouts of his rival. Now, with Rumpelstiltskin conveniently out of the way, was a chance for a bit of retribution. The Goblin King would meddle right back.

Who, if anyone, would be so bold as to torment the Dark One's pet? Well, certainly the Goblin King.

This would be fun.


	2. Chapter 2: The path between the stars

Disclaimer: I still own none of these worlds or characters. I have maybe two dollars to my name.

Note from the Beta: Whatever, you probably have more money then I have in my wallet right now...

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Belle spent a sleepless night outside the doorway to the bedroom. She didn't want to go in; it seemed forbidden, the whole house did. The lights stayed on. She didn't want to be in the dark anymore. Sleep wouldn't have come anyway, so she sat up against the door, counting the imperfections on the walls and ceiling. How had she not noticed them before? The house seemed so perfect when she'd first moved in. It was a labyrinth of antiques, trinkets, and books. But she was happier then.

Blinded by happiness. Or love. Or both. All the signs were there. Just a few hours ago, she still thought she had her dreams. She could've one day been a hero, at least to the one person who mattered. She would help Rumple as he tried to change his ways. Even though it didn't require much in the way of bravery or heroism, it was something she thought she could do.

But the dark one had lied. The whole marriage - her entire happy ending - had been a lie. She'd fallen for his grand illusion.

Perhaps he wasn't entirely to blame. She'd made it her goal to help Rumple, and she'd failed. How many times had Snow or Charming failed? Even Regina was a hero now. Heroes didn't fail. She was never a hero, only a silly, daydreaming girl.

What was there for her now?

When the clock struck five, Belle was gone. Rather than wait for daylight, she opted to leave the dusty old house. The shop, however, would stay closed for the day, and the car would remain as well; both reminded her of how much she had failed. Instead, she journeyed on foot to the library. Surely the shelves needed to be reorganized. Belle would do as she'd done back when she'd traded herself to a stranger - pour herself into her work to forget her troubles.

Belle tiptoed through the square, strangely wary of waking the sleepy town. She pulled the old key from her purse, and when the lock clicked, she nearly flung herself past the threshold. The door shut behind the weight of her body, and she held onto the door frame for a few moments, eyes closed and breathing deep. This was her sanctuary. Here, the outside world no longer existed, and nothing could touch her. She clicked on the light, and got busy.

Histories had been misplaced, volumes out of order, bindings broken, and checkouts overdue. Since when had her library ever been sub par? She didn't recall things being so messy. Eventually, light shone through the windows of the building, but she hardly noticed. And so dawn became dusk, and at dusk, there was a draft from the doorway.

She only noticed because the pages that needed rebinding began to flutter a bit in the breeze, and so she looked for the source of this disturbance.

She found a relieved looking Emma coming in to greet her, and Belle mindlessly continued her project. "Thank goodness. We started to worry. No one's heard from you all day. Have you lost your phone or something?" There was a hint of frustration in the savior's voice.

Belle was hardly there, her mind wrapped up in her current task, and already planning for the next one. "Phone?" She mumbled in response.

Emma caught a closer look, and her frustration quickly turned to concern. The librarian had a slight case of bed-head, although the dark circles under her eyes told another story. And it seemed there had been no change in attire since the previous night.

"Belle, have you... Slept? Eaten?"

"Eaten?"

"Hey." Emma placed her hands over the desk, keeping Belle from her work, and forcing her to focus. "Look at me." And she did, " What happened last night?"

She was looking at Emma now, albeit absentmindedly.

"Last night?" She repeated back the words, but they still didn't make sense

Emma enunciated slowly, "With Gold?"

The name dragged her back into a harsh reality. Strange enough, she had almost forgotten. Then, as the pain swept through, her tired eyes met Emma's. "He's gone." It was the first time she'd said it out loud. "I made him cross the town line, and now he's gone."

The truth of her own words was quite the blow. It felt as if the air had been knocked out of her lungs, and a wet heat boiled up in her eyes.

Don't cry. Be brave. Do the brave thing.

She went on, if only for the sake of convincing herself. "He was a danger to everyone. And now he's not."

The savior seemed at a loss. "Shit... I'm sorry." And an uncomfortable silence passed. "If there's anything I can do, then-"

"I'm fine." She choked back a sob. "I actually have-" and another "a lot of work to do here." She desperately avoided eye contact now. Emma's expression was all too sympathetic, despite her naturally distant disposition. She forced the tears away, and it was back to business "Did you want something?"

A simple, gentle, "No." was all that came from Emma's lips as she decided to leave the librarian be for now. She was halfway out the door when instinct stopped her. "Do you need anything? A ride home maybe?" She tried to make her offer sound as appealing as possible. "We could get a grilled cheese on the way."

"Thank you, but... I'm fine." She reputed her claim, although it was becoming more and more challenging to maintain her stone expression.

Emma nodded uncertainly, and soon she was gone.

A sigh of relief escaped Belle's lips, and the air that left her lungs was replaced by total exhaustion. She left the cluttered desk and went to the window. When her would-be savior was out of sight, Belle grabbed her coat and locked up. As she came closer to home, she looked up at the night sky.

Belle could always recall, as a young girl, reading various books on the subject of stars. It astonished her that there were so many interpretations and uses for the little dots in the sky. Some viewed them as fortelling symbols, and others depended on the stars for something as mundane as navigation. It only occurred to her when she was older, that there could be more than one truth.

Before, often when at a crossroads, she'd look to the stars for answers. She'd trace imaginary paths between them. Some nights they were infinite, and some nights she could count the trails on her fingers. But there was always more than one, or two, or three... And so there were multiple solutions to a problem, multiple paths to take in life, and multiple outcomes. Rather than it always being the right choice against the wrong choice, the possibilities were never ending. It seemed brighter that way. Like alternate endings to a story, it could always end happily ever after somehow.

When she looked up that night, however, there were no stars in the sky.

_No solution. No path. No happy ending_.

She lowered her gaze and kept it there for the remainder of the walk.


	3. Chapter 3: A land serene

Unfortunately, I own none of these characters. Apart from our two new goblin friends..

Also, shout out to the random "guest" reviewed and left a lovely comment. Thanks also to Jewelzy, for your enthusiasm. As soon as I read your comments, I started typing this chapter immediately. Thanks so much for your support! You rock.

Note from the Beta: Yes, thanks so much for the reviews! She started freaking out and texting me as soon as she saw them. We hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

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It was mid afternoon in the underground. A warm breeze drifted through the massive windows of the lower library. The past few days had been like summer, although the goblins didn't know why. The King sat at a table near the window, watching his crystal as he enjoyed his afternoon tea.

Jareth had the cup to his lips, ready to take another sip, when there was a clatter from under the balcony. Initially he ignored the disruption, but the sounds continued. His eyes twitched at the squawk of a rather unhappy sounding chicken. He placed his cup down, and looked to the middle of the table. The crystal had gone clear, he'd lost concentration.

It could have been noted, by any observer, from the moment the Goblin King's leather boot hit the marble floor that he was not happy. When in a pleasant mood, as he should've been during his tea, his steps were lighter, graceful, and took on a more natural pace. Many servants in the castle, being at eye level with the King's footwear, had learned to watch for this. Even the least attentive of goblins would know, should they see him now, to be wary. His steps, his stride, the air about him spewed his current temperament.

In seconds he was out on the balcony. His gloved hands gripped the stone half wall, and just as he was about to call out to the unseen disturbers of the peace, a sudden crash from the ground below shook the balcony. He pinched the bridge of his nose as his ears rang from the sound of metal on stone.

"You will move your foolery elsewhere, lest I relocate you myself; to the bog."

He whipped around in one fluid motion, and returned to his table. There would be no more disruptions. One mention of the bog of eternal stench was enough to have the whole kingdom on its best behavior for days, although he had no desire for another putrid goblin running around. As if they didn't stink enough.

Milly, a goblin servant whom Jareth happened to dislike the least, approached the table with a fresh pot of tea. She filled his cup, and watched as he attempted to refocus his crystal. He'd been watching it, her, in every free moment for quite some time now. A smaller goblin, tugging at her skirts, peaked out for a moment.

"Queenie?" He asked, pointing at the face in the crystal.

"No." He replied bluntly.

The small creature frowned, before deciding to try again. "I'd like a Queenie. Kingy deserves a Queenie."

Milly shushed her lesser-minded companion, concerned about upsetting her King again.

"I care not for what you'd like." Jareth reiterated, gesturing a dismissal to Milly now that his cup was refilled.

Milly left the King to his leisure, with the smaller creature still tugging at her skirts and moping in disappointment. "It's not possible, Ril." She whispered.

He looked up at her, teary eyes glistening "but Kingy likes her. Kingy never likes anyone."

"She's from above. She can't come here. Not without-"

"A WISH?!" He finished for her with a squeal. There was a jump and a skip in the tiny goblin's step.

"A very specific wish. His majesty isn't a genie."

"What's a genie?"

An aboveground concept; of course the little creature wouldn't know.

"Never mind."

When you spend so many years closely serving the King, you pick up a thing or two, as Milly had. She was certainly one of the better educated creatures of the underground, except for the wiseman (although that was debatable.)

"Will Kingy ever get a Queenie?"

"His Majesty doesn't need a queen. He has the lady."

"I haven't seen a lady."

Milly sighed. "In the Labyrinth," she corrected.

" In the Labyrinth? There's a lady? A runner?" Ril sprang into action. "Gotta tell Kingy!"

Milly stopped him before he got any further away. "No, dear. There's no runner." He looked back up at her like she had told a cruel joke. There hadn't been a runner for some number of days now, and most of the goblins were restless as a result.

Milly gestured for her companion to follow again, and they continued to the kitchens. "I was talking about the Labyrinth itself, dear."

"The Labyrinth is a lady?"

Milly smiled almost slyly. "In a manner of speaking." That sounded rather like what her king would say, hadn't it?

The two went through a door which connected to a narrow passageway. The floor was simple cobblestone here, and the rough stone walls had fewer torches. The not-so-elegant passage turned into a spiraling stairwell which seemingly extended on and on above them. This tower of stairways and doors had been used strictly by servants since the castle had existed, however long that had been, so as to ensure quick and easy access from their quarters to the rest of the castle.

"Kingy should marry the lady."

Milly couldn't resist giggling at the thought. "That's not possible, young thing. The Labyrinth isn't a person. It's..." She pondered the best way to explain the concept. "It's more like a spirit, I believe."

Ril looked around then, checking the shadows cast in the hall. "Aren't spirits scary?"

"That's a matter of opinion. And it's not exactly a spirit. It's-", she grumbled, " complicated. The Labyrinth chose His Majesty long ago, and now they are binded."

"But Kingy controls the Labyrinth."

"He does. Mostly. But that doesn't mean the lady is powerless." Milly knew, from her many years, that the lady's power, if prompted, could rival Jareth's own.

_Luckily for us, the two have never been at odds_...


	4. Chapter 4: A crystal moon

Note from the Beta: The reason this chapter took so long to post is all me. I took forever to actually read through and correct the chapter. Terribly sorry, dears. Forgive me?

The shadows cast on the wall appeared to dance at the weary-eyed librarian as she trudged up the steps. This had been the longest day, and at the same time, she could scarcely remember any of it. She peered at the figures on the wall, no doubt a result of her mental state, as they twisted and swayed, almost mockingly. They gave her a strange envy. The thought of floating away with them into nothingness was sublime. Sleep was calling her name, and she would give in to it finally; no foreboding bedroom could stop her this night.

Upstairs, the hall was slightly lit by the moonlight that crept through the window. As it happened, she saw herself, while passing, in an unsuspecting mirror. She'd forgotten its place there, and jumped upon noticing the reflection. A small part of her was still uneasy after encountering the ice queen's mirror. This one, however, couldn't possibly be anything like the foul thing she'd fallen prey to not so long ago. It's golden frame shimmered and sparkled even in the moonlight, and it seemed to radiate warmth the longer she inspected the object. It was divine. Something called her to reach out to it, and so she lightly brushed her fingertips along the edge of the frame. Suddenly her vision gave way to something else entirely.

Belle was on a balcony. Her hands tightly gripped the stone half wall as she peered downward. She would've been more afraid, had it not been for the smell of musty old paper that surrounded and comforted her. A warm breeze came through, seemingly wrapping itself around her body. There was another familiar presence . She believed it to be magic, but it wasn't dark. It felt... Almost pure. Not that she could be sure, she'd only ever known the power of the dark one.

The night sky was full of stars, like she'd never seen. Looking out, she gazed curiously at an endless maze, no, a labyrinth that extended in all directions. But somewhere, beyond that, she was able to admire the serene landscape; green fields, a grand array of forest, sparkling bodies of water, and tiny homes dotted all across the picture. High above all of that, was the most wondrous sight of all; a crystal moon.

It's light overwhelmed her sight. She blinked, and it was gone.

Once again, she stood in front of a golden mirror, in a darkened hallway. She shook the impossible thoughts from her mind, like a child after a strange dream. Her fatigue was getting the better of her.

Belle looked upon the mirror one last time, and for all its beauty, it couldn't make up for what she saw in the glass. Within was a tired old shell, and she hardly recognized it as herself. Her formerly neat walnut hair was now unkempt, half of it falling from its updo, and in desperate need of brushing. Smeared mascara from the night before mingled with the dark circles under her eyes, further asserting their existence. Dust, likely from the older books, had accumulated at the tips of her hair, and clung to clothing. Her features all seemed twisted, like the shadows on the walls, as if they weren't her own. An intense desire to cleanse herself now took priority.

A bath was in order.

Loose strands of hair swayed in the current, soaking up the water. After a while, they seemed to move perfectly in time with Belefonte's "One For My Baby', which was playing in the next room. She'd found quite an extensive collection of music hidden away, some of it mysterious and other worldly; which was usual for this house. She'd had no energy to pick through them all, but needed the noise to help keep herself awake, so she selected the first remotely familiar artist. The album had been titled "Belefonte Sings the Blues", which was appropriate enough.

Had it not been for her drowsiness, Belle would've been soaking comfortably with a book. Instead, she drifted in and out and consciousness until the record went static and she fought to step out of the gold-footed tub. She slipped into a silk robe and collapsed on the bed, forgetting her old clothes on the floor. A deep, dreamless sleep claimed her, her soul in a place where nothing ever hurt again.

Long after the sun had risen over the sleepy town, Belle remained tucked away for the majority of the morning. Birds chirped in the trees as the town went about their day, but nothing would wake the sleeping beauty. Time passed until the words that finally roused her blew in like the breeze.

_Good morning, heartache_

_You old gloomy sight_

Still between wake and sleep, she barely shifted at the words.

_Good morning, heartache_

_Thought we said goodbye last night_

It infiltrated her senses. She didn't _want _to hear anything.

_I turned and tossed until it seemed you were gone_

Daylight was the next intruder. Her mind and body fought to return to their safe, restful state, but she was slipping. The soft music gently caressed her ears, or was it her husband? Her mind, perhaps out of conditioning, told her that she smelled breakfast downstairs.

_But here you are with the dawn_

After a few moments of tosses and turns, there was a light tickle at her nose. Finally her eyes opened, expecting a scraggly haired man with a gentle smile. Instead, it all came back to her.

_Wish I'd forget you_

_But you're here to stay_

The bedroom, though clearly her own, wasn't immediately familiar. The curtains had been opened, not as she'd left them. She swung her feet over the bed and went to look out. Warm rays of sunlight kissed her skin. Birds chirped in the tree outside the window, and on the street below she watched Archie pass by with Pongo. The world was going on without her, just as she would imagine it when Regina had her locked away.

Clothes from the night before were now neatly folded by the door, contrasting dramatically with the disorganized pile in which she'd neglectfully left them. The place felt emptier. Belle looked all around, and found the reason. A coat, a scarf, a bottle of cologne, and the many trinkets that once filled the room were now gone. All of Rumpelstiltskin's things had disappeared. Before she could worry, she had the realization that she hadn't left the record playing. Or _changed_ it.

_It seems I met you_

_When my love went away_

Cautiously and quietly, she tiptoed to the doorway. She followed the music, slow and distorted, to its source, stepping gently on the creaky floorboards. Beyond the bedroom, nothing had changed. Every strange object was in its place. The halls looked and felt as if they'd been untouched for years. There was only one thing off.

_Now everyday I start by saying to you _

The one other seemingly living soul there with her sat on a side table at the end of the hall. She stood still and stared at the oddity. Nothing else in the house stirred, only the thing that taunted her.

_Good morning, heartache, what's new?_

When she dared move closer, she was thankful that no unknown enchantment or magical trap revealed itself, and so she hastily picked up the needle from the record. But not before her assailant got the last word and the last laugh,

_Stop haunting me now_


End file.
